Die spotting press



Oct. 31, 1939. R. w. DINZL.

DIE SPOTTING PRESS Filed March 18, 1937' 4 Sheets-Sheet l sh l INVENTORBierman W Dl/vzL OC. 31, 1939. R- W D|NZL DIE SPOTTING PRESS Filed March18, 1937 4 Sheets-Sheet 2 Oct. 31, 1939. R, w, D|NZ| 2,177,821

DIE SPOTTING PRESS Filed March 18, 1937 4 Sheets-Sheet 3 my-7 E 46 t 4847, 5)

( INVENTOR BlcHmanW U/NZL A TONE Oct. 31, 1939. R, W D|NZL 2,177,821

DIE SPOTTING PRESS Filed March 18, 19:57 v4 sheets-sheet 4 l V 6 6 l j j5 i i 53 f se 4 6 5 57 n j L J j :mur

Fig. T l ww//W/ m//f ,//f/fwz INVENTOR AOE Patented Oct. 31, 1939 DIESPOTTING PRESS Richard W. Dinzl, Narberth, Pa., alsiznor toBaldwin-Southwark C of Delaware orporation, 5 corporation ApplicationMarch 18, 1937, Serial No. 131,692

l 11 Claims.

This invention relates generally to die spotting presses and moreparticularly to apparatus for insuring that the die bases will bemaintained in parallelism during a spotting operation and for ldetermining.v the general location of high spots.

It is well known that dies must have substantially perfect matingsurfaces in order to properly stamp or press material, particularlysheet metal material, this being of especial importance l with largedies such, for example, as are used in the stamping of automobile bodiesor other large sheet metal products. The operation of bringing diestogether to determine their high spots or irregularities and thenseparating the dies to all low the workmen to grind or otherwise removethe high spots is very laborious, painstaking and repetitions.

One difliculty with large dies when spotted in accordance with priorpractice is that after they have been properly matched, the upper andlower supporting surfaces may not be in parallelism, thereby requiringmachining of such surfaces to make them parallel. However, this isusually accompanied by the vertical guiding surfaces of the dies beingthrown on an angle which destroys the desirable vertical guiding actionbetween the dies as they move toward and away from each other in actualuse. y

It is an object of my invention to provide im- I0 proved means fordetermining, during a die spotting operation, when a high spot of a diesurface comes into contact with the opposed die surface and also todetermine substantially the location of such high spots.

A further object is to provide an improved die spotting apparatus thatwill facilitate maintaining the upper and lower die bases in parallelismand thereby maintain the cooperating vertical guiding surfaces of thedies in true perpendicular.

Another object is to provide an improved die spotting apparatus that isrelatively ,simple and economical in construction, operation andmaintenance and that may be adapted to existing presses as well aspermitting the spotting operations to be carried on with convenience anddispatch while still maintaining a high degree of accuracy andsensitivity. The diiliculty of obtaining accuracy and sensitivity isreadily appreciated when it is considered that certain dies, such as forautomobile bodies, are not only very large in size but also very heavy,weighing up to several tons.

A further object is to provide improved means for controlling themovable die when it is raised after a spotting operation, thereby toprevent `ing certain features of my invention;

Fig. 2 is a plan view of Fig. l partially in sec- V tion; v

Fig. 3 is an enlarged sectional view on the line 3-3 of Fig. 1;

Fig. 4 is a transverse section taken on the line 4-4 of Fig. 1;

Fig. 5 is a fragmentary sectional elevation of a press embodying' amodified arrangement of my invention;

Fig. 6 is a still further modification;

Figfl is a sectional view showing the platen latching means;

Fig. 8 is a horizontal section on line 8-8 of Fig. 5.'

In the particular embodiments of my invention such as are disclosedherein merely for the purpose of illustrating certain speciiic formsamong possible others that the invention might take in practice, I haveshown in Fig. l a die spotting press of a conventional type having abase platen I, an upper stationary crosshead 2 and sidecolumns 3 and 4all rigidly secured together. A vertically movable die supporting platen5 is slidably guided on columns 3 and 4 by a series of verticalguideways 6. Platen 5 is moved vertically by a piston 1 and cylinders 9,one ormore of which are located Within each of the columns 3 and 4, thepiston rods being connected to suitable bosses 8 formed on platen 5 andprojecting inwardly of the columns'while the cylinders are secured tobase I. The structure so far described is typical of any conventionaldie spotting press.

Assuming that complementary dies are supported in a usual manner onplatens I and 5, iluid pressure is then gradually discharged fromcylinders 9 to allow the dies to come into contact. To determine withaccuracy and sensitivity when the dies contact each other and also todetermine substantially the location of said contact caused by a highspot on the die, I haveY provided the following improved die contactdetermining means. Four vertical rods I0, II, I2 and I3, are located atdifferent points of thc platen, such as its corners as seen in planview, Fig. 2. Inasmuch as the details of construction of each of therods and their associated apparatus are identical, it will sliiilce todescribe only one. As shown in Fig. 4, rod I0 is suitably immovablysecured at its lower end I4 to platen 5, while the upper end of said rodis provided with a collar I5, Fig. 1, having preferably a down turnedflange I6. This rod extends upwardly through a sleeve I1. the sleevebeing prevented from rotating by a key I8 slidable in a keyway I9 of thenon-rotatable rod l0. The upper end of sleeve I1 has secured thereto anenlarged collar 20 carrying a switch 2|. This switch is preferably ofthe well-known so-called micro type requiring very minute pressure andmovement to establish a circuit. Sleeve Il has threaded engagement witha rotatable nut 22 formed as part of a bevel gear 23 contained withinhousing Zia, this being suitably journalled in an L-shaped bearing 24which in tuin is supported on a pair of opposed transverse channel beams25 and 26. The gear 23 and its corresponding gear for the other rods II,I2 and I3 are driven from a common motor 2'I through shafts 28, 29, 30and 3l together with necessary bevel gears connecting said shaftstogether and to the rods Ill-I3.

In operation, all of the collars on sleeves I'I have the same elevationwhich may be adjusted by motor 21 commonly and simultaneously operatingall of the rotatable nuts 22 thereby causing sleeves I1 to be raised orlowered' to any given elevation. After the dies are inserted in themachine, the sleeves I'I and the collars 20 are adjusted to any selectedelevation. Movable platen 5 is then gradually lowered by exhaustingfluid from the interconnected piston cylinders 9, the rods |0449 movingwith the platens and collars I5 moving toward switches 2l. If theelevation of switches 2l is too high, then they will be simultaneouslyclosed by collars I5 before the dies come into contact. The closure ofeach switch will be individually indicated by the lighting of lamps'32,one for each switch. Each lamp and switch are in a circuit such asdiagrammatically indicated by wires 32'. The exhaust of ,iluid fromcylinders 9 can then be stopped and the screw sleeves lowered. Theplaten is then again lowered and if all the lamps 32 again light, thescrews and platen are continued to be lowereduntil finally a high spoton the die say near rod I0, Fig. 2, prevents the platen from moving downat this point and consequently the collar I5 of rod I0 cannot close itsswitch 2i. However, all other portions of the platen adjacent the otherrods II-I3 will minutely settle down very slightly out of parallelismand just sumciently to close the micro switches associated therewith.The three closed switches will instantly close their electric circuitsto light three of the four lamps 32. The fourth lamp by remainingunlighted gives the operator a visible indication that the dies havecontacted and that the general location of the high spot is in the areasurrounding rod Ill. Fluid pressure is then supplied to cylinders 9 toraise the pistons and platen 5 together with its die, whereupon amechanic proceeds to grind off or otherwise remove the high spot. Theforegoing cycle of operations is then repeated, the operator graduallylowering the elevation of the threaded sleeve I1 and collars 20 andnoting according to the lamps 32 the location of the varying high spotsas they are successively removed until iinally the entire die surfacesare in complete contact with each other. When the dies have uniformcontact, all four of the lamps 32 will light simultaneously. To protectthe switch apparatus and to insure that the movable die platen cannot besubstantially tilted out of parallelism with base I, the collars I5 havesubstantial hubs 33 adapted to engage and be supported on the collars2U. The axial length of hubs 33 is such that only minute movementthereof can occur after the switches are closed by flanges I5. Thisminute tilting movement is inherently corrected by the press operatingmeans and guideways immediately when the platen is raised. Hence thereis no cumulative tilting error involved.

In a modified arrangement, each of the ram cylinders may be providedwith individual pressure gauges 34, Fig. 5. In a die spotting operation,the fluid is uniformly gradually exhausted from all of the cylinders. Solong as the platen moves uniformly downward, there will not be anychange in the individual pressure gauge readings. However, when the diescome together on a high spot adjacent any one or more of the cylinders,the ram therein will stop and accordingly the pressure gauge for thatcylinder will not record any pressure. The operator will thenimmediately know that the dies are in contact on a high spot and knowthat the location of the high spot is adjacent that particular cylinder.Fluid pressure will then be admitted to the cylinders to move theplatens upwardly so that the operator may grind or otherwise remove thehigh spot.

The forgeoing arrangement permits dies to be spotted in an extremelysimple and effective manner with a high degree of accuracy andsensitivity while at the same time insuring that the upper and lower diebases willbe maintained in parallelism at all times during the diespotting operation, thereby avoiding or minimizing the necessity formachining these bases. My improved apparatus also insures that the usualcooperating vertical guiding surfaces of the two dies will be maintainednormal to the parallel surfaces of the die bases.

FIG. 5.-Modicatio11.-Instead of having the adjustable elevational means,such as the screw sleeves, carried by a stationary part of the press, Imay incorporate the same in the platen so as to be movable therewith.The platen 5 in this modification is guided and actuated in the samemanner as in the preferred form, although a housing 36 is secured to theunder side of the platen and die mounting tools 3l are secured to thehousing. A series of rods 38 located in plan view similar to rods Ill-I3are mounted in housing 36 so as to project .upwardly into platen 5. Eachof these rods is vertically slidable but nonrotatably keyed as at 39 tothe platen. Description of one rod and its associated means will sufcefor all inasmuch as they are identical. A sleeve nut 40 has threadedengagement with rod 38 and is suitably journalled in housing 36 to berotatably driven through bevel gears 4I and shaft 42 by a common motor43.

Supported upon base I is a stop column 44 adapted to positively limitdownward movement of the upper platen upon engagement of rod 38 withstop 44. A micro switch 45 is carried by stop column 44 to be engaged byany suitable lip or ange 46 on rod 38. rl'he operation of thisarrangement is identical to the preferred form.

Upon lowering of the upper die, any irregular 177,821 switches re `stillopen, thereby lighting certain of the dies with consequent throwing outof parallelism of their upper and lower surfaces as well as destroyingtheir vertical guiding surfaces.

From this modification it will also be noted that platen is maintainedin ahorizontal position during raising or lowering by virtue of anequalizer system including a pair of shafts 41 journalled in bearings,48 which are supported by platen 5. The outer ends of shafts 4'I areprovided with interconnected. gears 48 certain of which mesh withstationary racks 49 secured to the `side columns 3 and 4. This equalizersystem insures that every precaution isltaken to obtain absoluteaccuracy in the operation of the high spot indicating means.

FIG. 6.-Modificatio1z.-In this modication, a

. plurality of vertical rods 50 are supported by the indicating lightscontrolled by the switches 52 will operate in identically the samemanner as in the previously described modifications and also the rods 50are adapted to serve as limit stops. The platen 5 may be raised orlowered by a conventional ram -1 and cylinder 9 or by mechanical meanssuch as a series of screws 62 secured to platen 5 and having threadedengagement with rotatable nuts 63. The nuts for the series of screws 62are supported by an upper stationary crosshead 64 and are adapted to besimultaneously driven through any suitablemechanical means such as bevelgears and shafts generally indicated at 65. If the dies should come intocontact at a high spot, it is apparent that the normal clearance in thethreads and nuts would permit theremaining portion of the platen tosettle down lveryslightly so as to actuate certain of the light switches52' in a manner as previously described for the other modifications.

When the dieis elevated to remove a high spot, it is highly desirablethat every precaution be exercised to' prevent the heavy die and platenfrom falling down onto the workmen. To prevent this as far as possible,I have provided an improved control means comprising a latch arm 56pivotally supported at 51 to the sides of the press and normally urgedin a counterclockwise direction by a spring 58 secured to a bellcrankarm of latch 56, the other end of the spring being connected to theframe. The latch arm is adapted to engage an abutment 59 formed on theplaten 5 at each end thereof. To release the latch, an air cylinder andpiston 6I) is connected to the bellcrank latch arm and is controlled inany suitable manner. When the press is raised, thefair pressure isexhausted from cylinder 60 to control spring 58 to throw arm 56 intoengagement with latch abutment 59 when the platen is fully raised.

From the foregoing disclosures, it is seen that my improved dleyspottingapparatus and indicating means will eifectively permit rapid andaccurate spotting without throwing the vertical guiding surfaces out ofnormal and at the same time minimizing or eliminating machining of thebase surfaces.

It will of courseibe understood that various changes in details ofconstruction and arrangement of parts may be made by those skilled inthe art without departing from the spirit of the invention as set forthin the appended claims.

I claim:

1. The combination in a die spotting press comprising, opposedrelatively movable platens,

for supporting complementary dies, means whereby one of said platensnormally moves in parallelism toward the other but is adapted to haveslight deflection from. said parallelism,-

means for effecting said platen movement, and means responsive tomovement of the movable platen out of parallelism caused by the diesengaging each other at a high spotthereon which discontinues movement ofsaid platen adjacent said high spot while allowing continued slightmovement of the remaining portions of said platen thereby indicating thepresence of a high spot on the dies.

2. 'I'he combination in a die spotting press comprising, opposedrelatively movable platens forA supporting complementary dies, meanswhereby one of said platens normally moves n parallelism toward theother but is adapted to have slight deection from said parallelism,means for effecting said platen movement, rand means responsive tomovement of the movable platen `out of parallelism and to the directionof said non-parallel movement caused by the dies engaging each other ata high spot thereon which discontinues movement of said platen adjacentsaid high spot while allowing continued slight movement of the remainingportions of said platen, thereby indicating the presence and Substantiallocation of a high spot on the dies.

3. 'Ihe method of determining the presence of a high spot oncomplementary dies consisting in moving one of said dies toward theother with their bases in substantial parallelism until the dies firstengage each other at a high spot thereon thereby to discontinue movementof that dies at said high spot while allowing continued slight movementbetween the remaining portions o f said dies thereby to throw theirbases out of parallelism, and then determining substantially instantlywhen said non-parallel condition occurs and immediately stoppingmovement of the dies.

4. The combination in a die spotting press comprising relatively movableopposed platens for supporting complementary dies, means whereby saidplatens normally move in parallelism with each other but are adapted tohave slight deflection from said parallelism, means for effecting saidnormal relative movement, a plurality of position responsive elements,and means whereby said responsive elements are dilferentially operatedwhen said platens move out of parallelism with each other caused by ahigh spot on said dies engaging each other so as to discontinue movementof said platens `adjacent said high spot while allowing continued slightmovement of the 'remaining portions of said platens, thereby to indicatethe presence of a high spot on said dies.

5. The combination set forth in claim 4 further characterized by theprovision of means for successively adjusting said responsive elementsso as to allow successive incremental movement of the dies toward eachother so long as said platens remain in parallelism and whereby uponpartial or complete removal of a high spot the dies can be broughtcloser together to determine the continued presence of said high spot orother high spots.

6. The combination in a die spotting press having opposed normallyparallel platens adapted to carry complementary dies, means for movingone of said platens, a plurality of rods operably secured to one of saidplatens, a plurality of di'erentially responsive elements one for eachof said rods, means for operatively supporting said responsive elementsby the other of said platens so that said responsive elements areoperable by said rods upon a predetermined movement of'said movableplaten, and means for effecting relative adjustment. between said rodsand their respective responsive element.

7. The combination set forth in claim 6 further characterized in thatsaid means for eiecting relative adjustment between said rods and saidresponsive elements is carried by and movable with said movable platen.

8. The combination in a die spotting press comprising, a stationaryplaten and an opposed movable platen, means for effecting movement ofsaid movable platen, a plurality of rods secured to said movable platen,each of said rods having a surrounding normally stationary threadedsleeve and a normally stationary nut in threaded engagement therewith,means for simultaneously operating said nuts to adjust the elevation ofsaid sleeves, and a plurality of differentially operated positionresponsive elements supported by and movable with said sleeves foroperation by said rods, whereby said dies are brought closer together ifsaid responsive elements are simultaneously operated by said rods, butfailure of one of said responsive elements to be operated While othersthereof are operated as an indication that said dies are in contact at ahigh spot and thereupon should not be brought closer together.

9. The combination in a die spotting press comprising a stationaryplaten and an opposed movable platen, means for eiecting movement ofsaid movable platen in substantial parallelism with said stationaryplaten, a plurality o! electrical switches located at differentpositions with respect to said platens in plan view, means for operatingsaid switches individually or simultaneously in accordance with themovement of said movable platen and the degree of parallelism itmaintains, and indicating lamps connected respectively to said switches,whereby the failure of one lamp to light is an indication that the diesare in contact at a high spot as well as an indication of the locationof said high spot.

10. The combination in a die spotting press comprising a stationaryplaten, an opposed movable platen, means whereby said platens normallymove in parallelism with each other b-ut are adapted to have slightdeiiection from said parallelism, a plurality of hydraulic pistons andcylinders for effecting movement of said movable platen away from saidstationary platen and for allowing said movable paten to move downwardlyunder gravity upon release of pressure from said cylinders, and meansfor indicating the individual pressures in said cylinders whereby whensaid dies contact each other at a point and accordingly discontinuerelative movement between said platens at said point while all otherportions of said platen continue to move uniformly the pressure incertain of said cylinders will vary from that in others thereby givingan indication that the dies are in contact at a high spot.

1l. The combination in a die spotting press comprising a stationaryplaten and an opposed movable platen, means for effecting movement ofsaid movable platen, a plurality of threaded rods supported by saidmovable platen, normally non-rotatable nuts having respectively threadedengagement with said threaded rods and carried by said movable platen,means also carried by said movable platen for effecting relativerotation between said nuts and threaded rods to adjust the elevationthereof, normally stationary means adapted for cooperation with saidrods, and responsive means adapted to be operated in response to saidcooperation and to be differentially operated 4when said platens are outof parallelism with each other thereby indicating the presence of a highspot on said dies.

RICHARD W. DINZL.

